A Study of the Role of Online Promotions in Influencing Consumer Buying Behaviour Among Online Shoppers in Bengaluru

Author

Koteru Laxmi Praharsha, Dr. Ch. Venkata Naga Siva Kumar


Abstract

 The rapid growth of digital technology and e-commerce has significantly changed the way consumers search for information and make purchasing decisions. Online promotions, including discounts, coupons, cashback offers, flash sales, free shipping, loyalty rewards, and limited-time offers, have become an important digital marketing tool for attracting customers and encouraging purchases. This study examines the role of online promotions in influencing consumer buying behaviour among online shoppers in Bengaluru. It looks at the promotional tools that attract consumers, their influence on purchase decisions, the relationship between consumer characteristics and responses to promotions, and the effect of promotions on impulse buying and shopping frequency.

A descriptive, quantitative survey design was used. Primary data were collected from 72 online shoppers through a structured questionnaire of 29 closed-ended questions. The data were analysed using frequencies, means, one-sample Wilcoxon tests, the Friedman test, Spearman correlation, Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests, chi-square tests, and multiple regression.

Online promotions have a significant influence on buying behaviour: 65.3% of respondents agree that promotions significantly influence their buying behaviour (mean 3.85 on a 5-point scale), and 55.6% say that promotions influence their purchase decisions. Discounts are the most attractive offer (50.0%), and every promotional tool is rated significantly above neutral, with no significant difference in effectiveness among the seven tools (Friedman p = .075). Promotions also encourage brand switching (59.7% agree), higher shopping frequency (62.5%), and impulse buying (55.6%). However, consumers rate product reviews as more important than promotional offers (mean 3.93, the highest of all items). Trust in platform promotions is the strongest correlate of overall influence (ρ = .53; β = .39 in regression), followed by loyalty rewards and cashback. Among consumer characteristics, only online shopping frequency is significantly related to the influence of promotions; gender, age, occupation, education, spending, and platform showed no significant differences. The findings suggest that online promotions work best when they are trusted and combined with credible product information, and that no single promotional tool is clearly superior.



Keywords

Online Promotions, Digital Marketing, Consumer Buying Behaviour, Online Shopping, Purchase Decision, Discounts, Cashback, Flash Sales, Bengaluru, E-commerce.



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